How cycling changes your body

[Aisling]

It's really nice to see such a positive post about cycling and body image - I'm new to cycling, but some of the comments about how much to eat really resonated with me.

I just wanted to echo some of the points raised by smurfalicious - I was a fairly serious rower (crew in the US?) while I was in college, and would have been training hard 5-8 times a week, but I was carrying a fair few extra pounds which never budged. And the reason was that I wasn't eating enough - I didn't feel particularly hungry after rowing, so I didn't eat any more than usual.

It wasn't until my final year, when I rowed only socially, that I actually lost the weight - and that was when I dramatically decreased my energy output without decreasing my intake, completely counterintuitive!

So take care of yourself, and see what works for you. My best friend swears by eating whenever she's feeling hungry, but for me, I sometimes need to eat when I don't.

[owlice]

I still weigh way more than I should; can't say I've lost any weight. I'm wearing pants three sizes smaller than I used to, though, pants I wore when thirty pounds lighter. I used to be a pear; now I've realized I've become more apple-shaped (and I'm not especially happy with that, BTW, though do like wearing the smaller pants!).

But I don't ride for fitness (hahahahahahahaha!! The idea of me riding for fitness is funny!), and I don't ride for weight loss (good thing, because I haven't lost weight).

I ride to feel better. I feel better physically and emotionally when I can ride.

Plus, it's fun!